Articles of clothing or tops including tank tops, t-shirts, halter tops, camisoles, and other garments that substantially cover the upper body, are frequently worn as outerwear, especially during warmer weather. The top may be worn loose or tight around the bust or waist, and may have sleeves or shoulder straps, or may be strapless. The top may be worn with the bottom hem tucked underneath the wearer's pants, shorts or skirts, or hanging loosely. It is typically desirable for women to wear tops without a brassiere for further comfort and casual convenience. Such garments are constructed with extra bust support in the form of an interior brassiere such as a shelf brassiere or a true built-in brassiere.
As mentioned, such tops are generally intended to be worn loosely, or close-fitted to the torso. Unfortunately, the tops also provide little or no support to mold and shape the torso into a desired shape that is flattering to the wearer. Corsets are typically used for accentuating a curvy figure, by reducing the waist and thereby exaggerating the bust and hips in women, or emphasizing a slimmer appearance in men. While corsets provided slimming impressions and silhouettes to the torso, the lacing, and stiffening members such as boning, ribs or stays, limited their use due to their bulk and the need to be custom fitted for each individual.
Accordingly, there is a need for a clothing article provided with an integrated body support for molding and shaping the wearer's torso without uncomfortable boning, ribs or stays and without lacing. There is a further need for a clothing article, which includes a body support that is compact, snug and inconspicuous. There is a further need for a clothing article that enhances the shape of the torso, particularly the waistline, to achieve a flattering natural appearance, while remaining comfortable and convenient to dress and wear.